Global Positioning System shifts paradigm Published April 9, 2007 By Public Affairs SMC Los Angeles Air Force Base -- The entire portfolio of military space programs are undergoing complete modernization to sustain on-orbit systems and deliver critical new capabilities and services. This modernization and recapitalization brings complex system and program management challenges to ensure effective "system of systems" integration across legacy, current and future programs. As part of SMC's "Back to Basics" strategy, more programs systems engineering and integration processes are being implemented within and across the entire space portfolio. As a result of the increased modernization activity in virtually every element of the Global Positioning System (GPS) enterprise, the Space and Missiles Systems Center's GPS Wing has announced a new contract to the Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) team for Systems Engineering and Integration (SE&I). Contract value is $217 million if all options and maximum award fee are exercised over the five-year contract period of performance. "This is an important shift in how the Air Force manages space acquisition programs," said Lt. Gen. Michael Hamel, Commander, Space and Missile Systems Center at Los Angeles Air Force Base. The Air Force continues to serve as the responsible program authority "systems integrator," with full responsibility, authority and accountability for the system-wide engineering and integration of the entire GPS enterprise - space, ground, and user equipment. The new SE&I contract will have specific deliverable products using documented work plans and product oriented focus which will ensure engineering process discipline, interface and configuration control as well as rigor and consistency across the entire GPS organization. The United States government fully recognizes that GPS is critical to civilian and military users worldwide. The commitment by the Air Force for the management of operations, development and planning for the future of GPS is a top priority. The SAIC team for SE&I includes: LinQuest, Booz Allen Hamilton, Harris, General Dynamics, Raytheon, Loral Space Systems, Ducom Inc, Epsilon Systems Solutions, Inc, Integrity Applications Inc, MacAulay Brown Inc, MCR Federal Inc, Munoz Engineering Inc (MEI) Technologies, Overlook Systems Technologies Inc, Saalex Solutions Inc, and Teledyne Brown Engineering. The Space and Missile Systems Center, located at Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif., is the U.S. Air Force's center of acquisition excellence for acquiring and developing military space systems including six wings and three groups responsible for GPS, military satellite communications, defense meteorological satellites, space launch and range systems, satellite control network, space based infrared systems, intercontinental ballistic missile systems and space situational awareness capabilities. SMC manages more than $60 billion in contracts, executes annual budgets of $10 billion and employs more than 6,800 people worldwide. Media representatives can submit questions for response or requests for interviews regarding this topic by sending an email to: smcpa.media@losangeles.af.mil.